Whether from an auto accident, an accidental fall, a mistake by a healthcare provider, or by any other means, getting hurt because of someone else’s negligence be a uniquely frustrating experience. Unfortunately, it can also be devastating in physical, financial, and psychological terms, especially if your injury keeps you from working and participating in hobbies for months or years following the accident.
Money alone cannot fully make up for all the negative effects of a serious injury, but demanding fair civil restitution with help from capable legal counsel can do a lot to improve your quality of life. When you believe someone else is to blame for causing you to get seriously hurt, contact a DeMotte personal injury lawyer from the Law Offices of David W. Holub.
Understanding Negligence
To hold someone else legally responsible for an accident in DeMotte, the injured party must show thorough evidence that the defendant directly caused them injury through negligence. Negligence has four components, all of which must be present for a personal injury case to proceed:
- The existence of a “duty of care” owed by the defendant to the plaintiff, such as the obligation to obey the rules of the road and pay attention while driving
- A “breach” of the established duty in the form of a specific reckless, careless, or illegal act
- “Causation” of an injury serious enough to need professional medical care directly and primarily through the established breach of duty
- The existence of compensable “damages” stemming directly from the injuries or the accident itself
There are also certain scenarios where a person or company may hold strict liability for injuries occurring under specific circumstances.
What Kinds of Damages Can You Receive?
Both economic and non-economic forms of harm may be recoverable through a successful lawsuit or settlement demand over a personal injury. In other words, both objectively provable financial losses and losses that can only be valued subjectively based on an individual plaintiff’s experiences. For example, someone hospitalized for a broken leg after a car crash can potentially seek compensation for all their accident-related medical expenses, missed wages during recovery, and various kinds of physical and psychological suffering.
However, depending on the type of personal injury case, there can be limits on how much money can be recovered for specific types of damages stemming from negligence. A personal injury attorney in DeMotte could explain what limitations, if any, may apply to a specific claim and what strategies may be helpful for mitigating their impact on the recovery process.
Get Help from a DeMotte Personal Injury Attorney Today
No two personal injury cases are exactly alike, and the right approach may be entirely different for two unique people injured in the same way or even in the same accident. However, what is consistent across virtually every proceeding of this nature is the importance of getting help from a seasoned attorney.
A DeMotte personal injury lawyer could answer questions about your potential claim and offer guidance about the next steps. Call the Law Offices of David W. Holub today to schedule an initial consultation.